Butter-tub



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L. K. TEWKSBURY.

BUTTER TUB..

Patented Jan. 29, 1889.

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outwardly to the outer edge of the cleat.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYMAN K. 'JElVKSIilTRY, OF BROOKLYN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BUTTER-TUB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,969, dated January 29, 1389.

Application filed October 17, 1888.

To aZZ whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that l, LYMAN K. TEwKsBUnv, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Susquehanna, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Butter-Tub, of which the following is a description.

The invention relates, generally, to that class of vessels the wall or body of which is composed. of wooden staves, which ordinarily are secured in position by means of metallic hoops, and which are commonly employed as receptacles for butter or other similar agricultural products; and it relates, especially, to that class of such vessels in which the cover or lid 1' directly upon the upper extremity of the staves which compose the body of the vessel.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations of parts in or in connection with the body and in or in connection with the lid of a butter-tub, whereby suchv lid is readily applied in. place upon and secured to such body, and whereby it is as readily detached and removed therefrom when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective plan view, portions being broken out to show the interior construction of the lid and connected parts of a lnltter-tub which is provided with my improved securing appliances. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical central section through the lid and through a portion of the body of the vessel. Fig. 2-3 is a detail, drawn to a diminished scale, showing in side elevation a fragmentary section of the upper portion of the body of the tub and the relation of the ear to the same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the holding-ears.

The lid A of the tub A has ordinary plain outer cleats, a a, and a main central ole-at, a, which in its bottom face has at each end a central longitudinal groove, 5 to receive the straight body portion of the engaglug-hooks h and 71, and it has also a lateral rec ass or way, 71 which extends from the central groove In practice it will frequently, if not generally, be found most convenient to make the central groove continuous from end to end of the cleat. Both of the engaging-hooks are at their outer extremity bent first downwardly to a point in a plane with the bottom of the Serial No. 238,300. (No model.)

lid and then inwardly toward the center thereof. The hook h receives at its inner end a securing screw or pin, p.

The hook 71 is provided with a curved lateral recess, 71*, which receives the correspondingly-curved end of the arm Z of a crank-lever, L. This has motion about a pivot-pin, P, which extends through the body of a pivotblock, 13. The pivot-block is fitted between the center cleat, (I, and one of the outer cleats, a, and is provided in its bottom face with a recess, 1), within which the arm I of the crank-lever L is received. The handle L of this lever is suitablyexteuded outward along the central cleat, and at such distance there from as to enable the two together to be conveniently grasped by the thumb and fingers of the operator.-

The cleat a has a lateral recess, a, to receive one end of a suit-able spiral spring, 3, the opposite end of which bears against the handle 1/, and operates to retract the hook h when pressure upon the handle L toward the cleat a has been. discontinued.

At points upon the body of the tub coincident with the hook 7t and hook 7L are provided diminutive cars or catches 0, each of which has a top plate, 0, having an extension or flange, a, which rests upon the upper edge of the body, side walls, c 0 which are re ceived within a recess, 0', in the body of the tub, and a vertical portion, 0 which, preferably, is tapered, as shown, and may be secured by a screw or by a hoop, or by both together, and which has also a perforation or a recess, as R, to receive the lower and imvardly-extending terminal portion, I, of the engaging-hook.

To accommodate the top plate, of the catch 0 the under surface of the lid A, at a point directly above the terminal portionst of the hooks, provided with a shallow recess, (1 the recess above the terminal of the hook 71" being by preference slightly deeper than that above the hook 71.

It will be perceived that this cmrstruction provides a smooth package having no projections or protuberances above the general upper surface of the cover-cleats, and with the smallest possible lateral projections beyond the general circular outline of the tub.

In operation, the lid being in position, a slight movement of the handle L of the cranklever toward the center cleat actuates the arm Z and causes outward movement of the hook 71 disengaging the terminal point of the hook from its catch G and permitting the lid to be readily lifted and removed from place.

If the handle be released, the hook 71/ automatically resumes its engagement with the catch 0.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. The combination, with a vessel which is provided with a catch or recess, of a lid which rests upon'such vessel, and which is provided with a slidable hook and with a pivoted spring-actuated lever which is in engagement with he slidable hook, the spring operating through the lever to move the hook inwardly into engagement with the recess in the vessel and to maintain it in such engagement.

2. The combination, with a vessel which is providedawith .two oppositely-placed catches or recesses, of a lidwvhich rests upon such vessel, and which is provided upon one side with a fixed engaging-hook, and which is provided upon the opposite side with a slidable hook and with a pivoted spring-actuated lever which is in engagement with the slidable hook, the spring operating through the lever to move the hook from without inwardly into engagement with the recess in the vessel and to maintain it in such engagement.

LYMAN K. TEYKSBURY.

Witnesses:

GEO. K". ASHLEY, JNo. P. ALBRO. 

